November 20 in LGBTQ History

1934: Lillian Hellman’s The Children’s Hour opens on Broadway to rave reviews and sellout audiences. An account of two schoolteachers accused of lesbianism by one of their students, the play is loosely based on an actual case in 19th-century Scotland.

1998: In the U.S. state of Texas, John Lawrence and Tyrone Garner are fined US$125 each after being arrested for having sex in their home. They refuse to pay the fine, resulting in a challenge of the Texas sodomy law which would eventually lead to the 2003 nationwide repeal of sodomy laws in Lawrence v. Texas.

2003: The United States Congress passes a resolution condemning all violations of internationally recognized human rights norms based on the real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity of an individual.

2008: The Supreme Court of California agrees to hear arguments for a possible overturn of Proposition 8.